Mining apparatus of the pivoted boom type



Feb- 3 1959 J. D. RUSSELL 2,872,171

MINING APPARATUS oP THE PIvoTEn 200M TYPE original Filed July 5, i949 4 sheets-sheet 1 M Hyg.

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MININGI APPARATUS OF THE PIVOTED BOOM TYPE J. D. RUSSELL Feb. 3, 1959 MINING APPARATUS OF THE PIVOTED BOOM TYPE Original Filed July 5, 1949 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lwezzipz@ @2222 521.95622.

orzzey Feb. 3, 1959 MINING APPARATUS OF' THE PIVOTED BOOM TYPE Original Filed July 5, 1949 J. D. RUSSELL 4 Sheets-Shea?l 4 Unite States Patent G MINING APPARATUS F THE PIV OTED EGOM TYPE John l). Russell, Bradford Woods, Pa., assignor lto Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application July 5, 1949, Serial No. 102,995, now Patent No. 2,798,714, dated July -9, 1957. Divided ar71d lthis application December 28, 1954, Serial No. 4 8, 54

9 Claims. (Cl. 262-29) This invention relates to mining apparatus and more particularly to a continuous miner having a swingable vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism and improved means for driving the attackingl and disintegrating mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to' provide an improved continuous mining apparatus. Another object is to provide an improved continuous mining apparatus having improved veinattacking and disintegrating mechanism swingable in vertical planes and having improved means for driving the attacking and disintegrating mechanism. A further object is to provide an improved driving means for a'vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism in which plural motors, which are stationary as regards rectilinear movement relative to the base, are connected through extensible driving connections to drive the opposite` ends of a shaft which constitutes the driving element of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism and which is moved bodily away from and towards the motors as sumping and withdrawing Atake place. A still further object is to provide an improved clutch and telescopic shafting arrangement associated with each of the driving motors whereby the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism may be driven in all of its positions of rectilinear movement relativeto the base of the apparatus, without an excessive concentration of weight in advance of the base. These and' other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

This application is a division for my `copending application Serial No. 102,995, tiled July S, 1949, now matured into Patent No. 2,798,714, granted July 9, 1957. In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view, with its rearward portion broken away, of a continuous mining apparatus in which an illustrative embodiment of the invention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view ofthe. mining apparatus shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken onv line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail-vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 isA a fragmentary cross section takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross section, with parts broken away, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3. v Y

Pig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, with parts shown in full, taken on the plane of Fig. 3 and showing the clutch and telescopic shaft arrangement associated with one of the motors fordriving the veinattacking and disintegrating mechanism.

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation on a reduced scale showing the disintegrating mechanism in lowered extended position.

2 ings, the continuous mining apparatus generally comprises a mobile base 1, herein preferably a tractor or crawler base, having a frame 2 which has swiveled thereon at 3, to swing about an upright axisrin horizontal planes with respect thereto, a horizontal supporting frame or turntable 4. The swiveled supporting frame or turntable has a horizontal portion 5 projecting forwardly in advance of the base, and guided on this horizontal frame portion for movement rectilinearly relative thereto in a radial direction relative to the swivel axis is a sliding frame or support 6, on which a swingable frame or bar structure 7 is pivotally mounted on a horizontal trans verse axis at 8, to swing in vertical planes with respect thereto and to swing horizontally with the swiveled supporting frame or turntable relative to the base. The vertically swingable frame or bar structure 7 extends forwardly in advance of the swiveled frame, with its yIn this illustrative construction, as shown in the drawpivotal axis located, when the sliding frame 6 is `retracted, a substantial distance in advanceof the base. The swingable frame structure 7 carries a mine veinattacking and disintegrating mechanism generally designated 9, for detaching .and disintegrating the coal or other mineral in vertical segments from a solid coal seam or mine vein. The vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9, when disposed in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2, has its upper limits disposed below the upper limits of the apparatus, thereby resulting in a construction which is extremely vertically compact.

Arranged substantially coaxially of the swivel of the horizontal swinging frame or turntable is al hopper 10 which is mounted in stationary relation with respect to the base frame and endless flight conveying means is provided for conveying the disintegrated mineral from the attacking and disintegrating mechanism rearwardly to the hopper and for moving the disintegrated vmineral from the hopper rearwardly of the apparatus, including a front loading conveyor portion 11 carried by the sliding frame 6 and a cooperating rear discharge conveyor portion 12 on the base frame. The vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 detaches the coal or other mineral from the coal seam or mine vein, and as the mineral is detached or torn away toward the free face of the vein or seam, it is moved by the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism rearwardly along the top thereof to discharge onto the front conveyor portion v11 which, in turn, discharges into the hopper 10, and the disintegrated coal or other mineral is moved from the hopper rearwardly of the apparatus by the rear discharge conveyor portion 12.` Carried by the sliding frame 6 Ibeneath the rearward portion of the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism is a oor clean-up means including a tiltable pusher element or shovel 13 for moving loose coal or other mineral which has fallen to the mine floor during the mining operation into position for loadingby the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechl anism and some of this loose coal or mineral may move, as the apparatus is advanced, rearwardly up the shovel onto the front conveyor portion 11 which extends forwardly into adjacency with the rear portion of the shovel as is fully disclosed in the copending application above referred to.

A pair of motors 15, preferably electric motors, cartied by the swiveled supporting frame or turntable 4 at the opposite sides of the hopper, serve to drive the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 and the front conveyorportion 11, and a pair of reversible motors 16, preferably electric motors, individually drive endless crawler treads 17 of the tractor base. The crawler treads 17 of the tractor base serve to propel and steer the apparatus during travel thereof about the mine.

By- `swinging the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 about the swivelv axis of the supporting frame or turntable 4, it may be located in different radial positions relative to the base to attack and disintegrateV the coal seam or mine vein in a series of vertical segments of the working face so that the entire width of theworkingI face may be dislodged and disintegrated in successive steps, and the front'conveyor portion 11 is arranged to discharge, into the hopper in all radially adjustcd positions of the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism. For'turning the swiveled supporting frame or turntable 4 on its swivel mounting there are provided hydraulic cylinders (Fig. l), while for moving the guides 21 of the sliding support 6 back and forth along parallel horizontalguideways 22 on the swiveled frame there are provided hydraulic cylinders 23. Hydraulic cylinders 24 (Fig. 2) serve to swing the attacking and d isintegrating mechanism 9 in vertical planes about its pivot while a hydraulic cylinder 25 serves to tilt the shovel 13 to raise its forward edge above the mine door.

The horizontal forward portion 5 of the swiveled supporting frame 4 has laterally spaced parallel side portions 2-7 braced by a transverse horizontal portion or web 28, and the motors 15 have their casings secured to the outer sides of these side frame portions, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The side frame portions 27 have vertical and horizontal bracket portions 29 and 30 integral therewith (Fig. 6) which respectively extend along the inner sides and project beneath the bottoms of the motor casing to provide rigid supports for the motors. Extending longivtudinally along the inner sides of the said frame portions 27 are the parallel horizontal guideways 22 which receive the lateral guides 21 on the sliding support 6.

The vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 comprises a series of endless disintegrating chains 32 guided vfor circulation in parallel vertical orbits and these chains are engaged and driven by sprockets 33 (Fig. 3) secured to a transverse drive shaft 34 coaxial with the frame pivot 8 and this shaft is suitably journaled in bearing supports 35 secured to the side portions 36 of the sliding frame 6.

Each of the motors 15 has a horizontal tubular motor shaft l38 (Figs. 3 and 7) suitably journaled in bearings supported within the motor heads, and secured to the rear end of each tubular shaft is a housing element 39 for a multiple disc clutch 4), which is set at a predetermined load by coil springs 41. The interleaved clutch discs are secured to the clutch housing and to an outer member 42 of a conventional universal coupling 43. This universal coupling has its inner element 44 keyed to a drive shaft 45 which extendsforvvardly into the tubular motor shaft, as shown in Fig. 7. The shaft 45 has a splined connection at 46 within a tubular shaft 47, also arranged Within the motor shaft and keyed at its forward end to aninner element 48 of a universal coupling 49 similar to the coupling 43. Secured to the outer element 5t) of this coupling is a shaft 51. These shafts 51, driven by the motors, are suitably journaled in bearings supported within detachable gear housingsSZ forming portions of the spaced side portions 36 of the sliding frame 6. Keyed to each shaft 51 is a spur gear 53 meshing with a large spur gear 54 which is keyed to a longitudinal shaft 5S (Fig. 4) likewise suitably journaled within bearings supported within the gear housings. Fixed to each of the shafts 55 is a worm S6 meshing with and driving a worm wheel 57 having its hub suitablyjournaled on bearings supported by a transverse shaft 5S, the latter in turn being supported Within the gear housing 52. Integral with each of the hubs of the worm wheels is a spur gear 59 meshing with a large spur gear 60 which is keyed to the adjaceutend of the transverse shaft 34 (Fig. 3). Thus the shaft 34. is driven at both ends, and as the sliding frame 6 is moved along its guideways, tbe drives between the motors 15 and the opposite ends of the transverse shaft 34 aremaintained through the selfadjusting telescopic shaft connections. By mounting the motors back on the turntable overbalancngdue tok ex-` cessive weight in advance of the base is prevented. By arranging the motors 15 at the opposite sides of the turntable 4 a low, compact and symmetrical design, as well as a well-balanced construction, is attained.

As a result of this invention an improved continuous mining apparatus is provided' having improved driving means for the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism. By the provision of the plural motors, one arranged at each side of the turntable frame outside of the Vguideways for-the sliding support for the attacking and disintegrating mechanism, and the self-adjusting telescopic drive shaft connections, the attacking and disinte grating mechanism may be driven in an improved manner in all positionsof rectilinear adjustment thereof. The preloaded disc clutches and the arrangement of the .selfadjusting telescopic drive shafts in coaxial relation with the motor shafts provide for extreme compactness and the attacking and disintegrating mechanism may be driven in an improved manner. By locating the motors in a position above the base as disclosed, the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism may move rectilinearly back and forth without the concentration of excessive Weight in advance of the base. Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be vunderstood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combinationJ a support, a frame swiveled on said support to swing horizontally relative thereto about an upright axis, horizontal guiding means carried by said frame in advance of said upright axis, motors arranged on said frame and spaced equidistantly from the longitudinal median line of said frame beyond the sides of said guiding means with major portions of said motors disposed in advance of a transverse vertical plane including said upright axis, a support guided for movement back Vand forth along said guiding means, mine vein disintegrating mechanism mounted on the forward portion of said second mentioned support in advance of said Aguiding means to swing in vertical planes with respectv theretoY for disintegrating the mineral of a solid mine vein, and self adjusting driving connectionsy between said motors and said disintegrating mechanism for driving the latter in all positions of said second mentioned support along said guiding means, said driving connections including extensible shaftings extending longitudinally in parallelism with and at theouter sides of said guiding means, said second mentioned support having lateral portions in advance of said motors and on which. said disintegrating mechanism is pivotally mounted, said lateral portions providing gear housings and said driving connections including transmission gearings'arranged within'said gear housings and driven through said shaftings respectively, said extensible shaftings including shafts journaled within said lateral portions and to which elements of said gearings are operatively connected and cooperating motor driven shafts one individual to each motor having telescopic engagement with said shafts respectively, said gear housing` when said second mentioned support is in retracted position on saidguiding means, being disposed close to the front ends of said motors with said shafts telescoped withinsaid cooperating shafts, said motors having hollow shafts respectively receiving said telescopic shafts.

2. ln combination, a support, a frame swiveled on said support toswing horizontally relative thereto about an upright axis-horizontal guiding means carried by said frame .advance of said upright axis, motors arranged on said frame and spaced equidistantly from the longitudinal median line of said frame beyond the sides of said guiding means with major portions of said motors disposed in advance of a transverse vertical plane including said upright axis, a support guided for movement back and forth along said guiding means, said first mentioned support having longitudinal supporting portions disposed in the spaces between said guiding means and said motors and on which said motors are respectively mounted, mine vein disintegrating mechanism mounted on the forward portion of said second mentioned support in advance of said guiding means to swing in vertical planes with respect to said second mentioned support for disintegrating the mineral of a solid mine vein, and self adjusting driving connections between said motors and said disintegrating mechanism for driving the latter in all positions of said second mentioned support along said guiding means, said driving connections including extensible shaftings extending longitudinally in parallelism with and at the outer sides of said guiding means.

3. in combination, supporting means providing horizontal guiding means, a frame mounted on said supporting means for movement along said guiding means and providing a relatively narrow passageway extending centrally longitudinally thereof, a mineral disintegrating head pivotally mounted on said frame to swing in vertical planes with respect thereto for disintegrating the mineral of a solid mine vein, said passageway having a conveyor movable therein for receiving the disintegrated mineral discharged from said head, said guiding means including parallel horizontal guideways spaced equidistantly from the longitudinal median line of said frame and said frame having guides spaced outwardly at the sides of said passageway and received in said guideways, and parallel extensible power jacks extending longitudinally in parallelism with said guideways at the inner sides of the latter and operatively connected between said supporting means and said frame for moving the latter along said guiding means, said power jacks arranged in horizontal planes below the planes of said guideways and below the bottom of said passageway in the spaces between the sides of said passageway and said guiding means.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said passageway extends longitudinally of said frame intermediate said extensible power jacks.

5. In combination, supporting means having horizontal longitudinally extending guiding means, a frame mounted on said supporting means for movement along said guiding means and having spaced walls providing a centrally located troughlike passageway extending longitudinally thereof and having a conveyor movable therein, a mineral disintegrating head pivotally mounted on 1 said frame to swing in vertical planes with respect there-A extensible power jacks extending longitudinally in parallelism with said guideways at the inner sides of the latter and operatively connected to said supporting means and to said frame for moving the latter along said guiding means, said power jacks arranged in the spaces between said spaced walls of said passageway and said guiding means.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said power jacks are arranged in horizontal planes below the planes of said guideways and extend substantially coextensive with the guideways.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said troughlike passageway of said movable frame has a transverse bottom and said power jacks lie in horizontal planes below the bottom of said passageway.

8. In combination, supporting means providing horizontal guiding means and including a frame having upstanding side portions spaced equidistantly from the longitudinal median line of said frame, a support mounted on said supporting means for movement back and forth along sadi guiding means, a mineral disintegrating head pivotally mounted on said frame to swing in vertical planes with respect thereto and having movable disintegrating elements for disintegrating the mineral of a solid mine vein, said guiding means including parallel horizontal guideways extending longitudinally along the inner sides of said upstanding side portions and guides on said support engaging said guideways, means for moving said support along said guideways, motors mounted on said upstanding side portions at the, outer sides thereof, and self-adjusting driving connections operatively connected between said motors and said disintegrating head for driving said disintegrating elements thereof in all positions of movement of said support along said guideways.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said support moving means includes parallel extensible power jacks extending longitudinally in parallelism with said guideways at the inner sides of the latter, said guideways, said motors and said power jacks arranged in substantially coextensive relation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

